Google continues to work to reduce the size of play store app updates – update size now showing in Google Play

Bandwidth data, we all want to get more of it and use less of it. Google knows this all too well and is constantly striving to reduce the amount of data you need to use to update your apps, especially when you’re off WiFi.

In a blog post this morning Software Engineer, Anthony Morris, an ex-pat Aussie educated at UNSW now living in the UK, outlined Google’s latest efforts to reduce data usage and increase transparency to users updating their apps.

Distilling down the post to its essential elements Google is now using a new algorithm bsdiff to further reduce the update APK size by up to 50%. There’s a lot of developer mumbo jumbo to help them ensure that their apps are optimised fro the change. BVelow is an example of the improvement Google is achieving with the process.

In conjunction with the new algorithm, Google is also rolling out improved transparency on download sizes to the Play Store. As always when you install an app for the first time you can see the download size. However, rolling out out now is an update to Google Play that will show you the update size for apps you have installed requiring an update.

Reduced downloads and increased transparency is something we all can get behind and any reduction in data usage is greatly appreciated. It’s unclear when these changes will go live, so keep an eye out.

Are you looking forward to reduced data usage to update your apps? Let us know below.

Duncan Jaffrey Journalist

Duncan has been interested in technology since coding "Mary had a little Lamb" in Basic on his ZX Spectrum. A fan of all things Android, most days you'll find Duncan trawling the web for Android news or quietly editing away on Map Maker.